


One Fateful Night

by VesperLogan



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve on the Isle, Evil Plans, Harry Hook Flirts, Isle of the Lost (Disney), Mal wants love, One Shot, Pirate Uma (Disney), Pranks and Practical Jokes, Pre-Descendants (2015), Some bad language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:33:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29114571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VesperLogan/pseuds/VesperLogan
Summary: Christmas Eve on the Isle was considered to be one of the most fun nights of the year. However, maybe not for the same reasons as most people. There were no fancy dinners or gift giving, and even Father Christmas didn’t exist. Not even for the littlest villains. For who wanted to be good, when you could be bad?
Relationships: Harry Hook/Mal
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	One Fateful Night

**Author's Note:**

> This was only supposed to be a quick one-shot that ended up taking over a month to write! Obviously, I am well aware that Dove and Thomas broke up, but please remember that this is about the characters, and NOT the actors! This is just my take on Mal and Harry's past.

Christmas Eve on the Isle was considered to be one of the most fun nights of the year. However, maybe not for the same reasons as most people. There were no fancy dinners or gift giving; even Father Christmas didn’t exist. Not even for the littlest villains. 

Instead of Santa Clause hopping from chimney to chimney, the villains had come up with their own way to celebrate – it had become a night for tricks and evil deeds. A competition of sorts.

In the main square, a large cauldron had been set up with the name of every resident on the Isle written on a slip of parchment. When the clock struck 6pm, everyone would gather and a name would be handed to each villain. Like a twisted game of Secret Santa, the idea was to play an evil trick on the person whose name was on your slip of paper. It didn’t matter whether it was Maleficent or some scrawny street rat. For one night, everyone was equal.

Snow had been falling all day, covering the Isle in a blanket of white and making the usually ramshackle shacks look like puffy soft marshmallows in the darkening light of day. Personally, Mal hated it. It was cold and damp and it would very shortly become a death trap of slippery brown mush, meaning that she wouldn’t be able to patrol her territory without slipping over and landing on her butt several times. Nothing beautiful ever lasted long here.

She was currently picking her way through through the market on her way to the town square, Jay by her side. Passing the plethora of stalls, she eyed the many tables of fruit. As usual, her mother had not stocked up the fridge, or as she now considered it, the safe for her magical spell book.

The magical spell book that didn’t work.

Mal rolled her eyes as she snatched an apple off the nearest stall, dancing away before the market seller could catch her. She couldn’t understand how her mother had been known for creating such elaborate curses and evil plans back in the day. All she did now was constantly repeat how she was going to get her revenge on those who had placed them on the cursed Isle.

Something she had repeated for 16 years, and still not managed to achieve.

She took a bite of the apple, and immediately wrinkled her nose. Rotten. Like nearly everything on the Isle. Quickly, she discarded it under an abandoned table.

“So who you hoping to get this year?” asked Jay casually.

Mal turned to him, immediately noticing that he wasn’t really interested, his eyes instead focused on a battered wallet sticking out of back pocket of an oblivious passer-by. One slight movement and his deft fingers swiped it. Grinning, he thumbed through the few notes inside, before tucking it into his own jacket.

At Mal’s look he shrugged. “Well, they shouldn’t have been so careless as to leave it hanging out of their pocket. Anyway, you never answered my question.”

“You know who,” she said, her lips thinning. “Uma. That bitch deserves it after everything she’s done this year. She’s getting too cocky for her own good with that pirate crew she’s cobbled together.” Mal kicked a stray stone into a wall. “Plus, I need to win again this year, I need to prove to Mom than I am worthy to be her offspring. I’m already a disappointment, can you imagine what she’d say if I lost my title?” She turned to him. “How about you? Who do you want?”

“You know me, as long as it’s not one of those damned goblins again, I’m happy.”

Mal let out a short laugh, shoving her freezing hands in the pockets of her jacket. Her thin gloves did little to keep them warm in the sub-zero temperatures, and she could feel the tips of her fingers already starting to go numb.

“Every single year I get one of those damned goblins,” he continued. “They’re no fun. No sense of humour and they all gang up on you. I mean how am I supposed to prank one when they go around in...”

At that point Mal stopped listening, not out of spite, but because her mind had wandered to this evening’s plan. She was determined it was going to work, and it was going to be her best prank yet.

Of that, she was certain.

***

By the time the clock struck six, the square was filled with creatures of all kinds. Goblins, gargoyles, sorcerers, witches and even a tiger, all circled in the shadow of the huge looming cauldron, jeering and spitting. The excitement and impatience pulsed with every moment that passed, and Mal feared there would be a revolt if her mother didn’t show soon.

Thankfully, Maleficent chose that moment to finally step up onto a platform constructed from rickety old pallets, and the villains let out a roar of approval.

Mal stood just off to the side, ready to be the first to receive her slip of paper, as usual. She didn’t care for this bit, when her mother made her long speech about how great and mighty they all used to be, and how they would rise again. Frankly, she didn’t care. All she’d ever known was the Isle, and right now, she just wanted to get out and start pranking.

As Maleficent’s dramatic monologue started, Mal found her gaze drifting to the crowd, hopping from the faded turban of Jafar to the elegant stature of Lady Tremaine, until finally, her emerald eyes locked onto icy blue.

Harry Hook.

That blasted pirate, she thought angrily to herself as the boy caught her looking, the corner of his lips twisting into a malicious smirk. He’d never even crossed Mal’s mind until earlier this year when he’d teamed up with Uma, the duo recruiting a band of pirates and becoming a serious threat to Mal’s hard-earned territory.

This was part of the reason Uma was to be taken down a peg tonight.

No one threatened the future Queen of the Isle.

She tore her eyes away from him, determined not to let him have a second thought in her head, and turned back to her mother’s speech just as the Queen of the Isle was finishing up.

“And remember, my judges will be out in force tonight. Whoever completes the evillest prank by midnight will win the coveted honour of getting first pickings from the Goblin barges for an entire year!”

A joyous cry rose from the crowd.

Whilst that didn’t seem like such a grand prize to most, it was the best it got on the Isle. The chance to pick the best leftovers from the Auradon supply boat that came over once every fortnight, whether that be a flat bottle of cider, or perhaps a new coat with only a slight tear.

Mal watched as Maleficent threw her hands in the air, letting out a wild cackle. The fairy’s horns glinted in the streetlights as she soaked in the applause, her dark eyes glowing, her full mouth grinning.

She was magnificent in a way, and the girl could see how Aurora’s parents had been terrified of her. She had a presence, particularly in situations like this, that Mal did not have. Crowds, people, they were not her thing at all. She may have wanted to be the evillest on the Isle, but she did not want the glory that her mother craved. In fact, everything she did was just to prove herself to one person, to get some sort of recognition from Maleficent.

But alas, that only came from love. And that was one thing Maleficent did not want to give.

Love was weakness after all.

She watched a few moments longer, until Maleficent turned to her and beckoned her daughter to join her.

Mal winced, but did as she bade, striding out onto the platform with a false sense of confidence, trying not to roll her eyes as her mother wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“Mal here, as the reigning champion, will be the first to pick a name out of the hat,” she announced, then paused for dramatic effect before crying, “Long may evil reign!”

She gave Mal a little push towards the cauldron and the cries from the crowd intensified, reverberating around the square until they were almost deafening.

Forcing a smile, Mal reached into the huge cauldron, making a song and dance of digging around, trying to find a piece of parchment. She knew which one she wanted, a screwed-up piece resting on the top – one she’d put in there herself to ensure that she’d get the person she wanted.

With a small smirk she closed her fist around it, before pumping it in the air, waiting only a few further seconds before leaving the stage.

As she hit the side-lines she glanced back at her mother, subconsciously seeking approval, but the most powerful fairy was too busy lapping up the crowds roars of approval to notice her daughter.

Mal felt the flutter of disappointment in her stomach, but pushed it down, nimbly swinging up onto the nearest roof. She was going to win this thing, and overthinking her mother’s actions was not going to help her achieve that.

Opening up the piece of paper in her hand, the corner of her mouth lifted into a half smile at the scribble on the parchment.

_Uma, daughter of Ursula._

She’d done her research over the past few days and she knew that Uma was supposed to be working a shift at her mother’s chip shoppe tonight, despite the festivities. Tonight was one of the busiest nights of the year for the restaurants of the Isle, and there was no way Ursula would let her best waitress have the night off. That only made Mal’s plan easier, as at least she didn’t have to spend half the night trying to find the bitch.

“Hey.”

Mal jumped at the sound of Jay’s voice next to her.

“Got one of those bloody goblins again, mind if I join you considering we’re heading in the same direction?”

Mal couldn’t help but let out a smile. _Of course he knew she’d rigged it._

“It’s absolute chaos down there,” he continued, rubbing his hands together to regain some feeling in the frigid night air. “Shere Khan decided to have a go at those dumbass hyenas for cutting in line, and I don’t think Scar was too happy about it. You’re lucky you get first pick you know, saves you from the ensuing mayhem. Happens every year I swear.”

“One of the only perks of winning,” Mal said coolly, and tossed her slip of paper into the nearest chimney pot without a second glance.

“Well, this time I’ll be giving you a run for your money. I’d do anything to avoid that scramble every year.”

Mal raised an eyebrow, amused. “You say the same thing every Christmas Eve. Hasn’t happened yet.”

At her friend’s grin, she jumped from the rooftop down onto a rotting barrel, and then onto the floor, the hard powdery snow crunching beneath her feet as she landed. Moments later, Jay swung down next to her.

***

By the time they reached the docks, the snow was once again falling thick and fast. Fat snowflakes swirled around the streetlamps, creating a tinted orange fog as the flakes continued their onslaught, battering the pair’s faces and sticking stubbornly to Mal’s eyelashes.

“Mal, I’m going to head off this way,” Jay told her as they reached the turning for Goblin Wharf. “I’ll catch you later.”

“Sure,” Mal responded, squinting in an attempt to stop the snow getting into her eyes. “Usual place?”

“You know it!” He began to head out of view, but she heard his voice call out, “Oh, and please don’t freeze to death!”

Mal grinned. “Careful, you’re sounding like you’re actually starting to care.”

“As if,” came the response. “I just don’t want my best partner in crime to freeze her arse off and get sick. Would be bad for business.”

The corner of Mal’s mouth twitched again, but she didn’t give him the satisfaction of a response. Instead, she turned and trod onwards into the blizzard, suddenly feeling thankful that she had let Evie patch her worn boots the week before.

Ursula’s Fish and Chips was situated next to the water, the front entrance blocked by two swinging saloon doors which looked as though they were about to fall off their hinges. They let out a long, drawn-out screech, like nails on a chalkboard, as a customer wandered in out of the bitter cold.

Mal paused outside. She knew what she had to do – she’d had it planned for weeks. She’d distract Uma, grab the necklace, and then lead the sea witch to her father’s lair.

It was called the ‘Underworld’ for a reason, known to be home to Cerberus, the three-headed dog. Cerberus was originally created by her father to stop the dead from leaving the Underworld, but now, now he stopped _anybody_ from leaving. Uma would be lucky to even survive, and on the off chance she did, Mal would have made her point.

Mal and her territory were not to be messed with.

She smirked, feeling excitement building, the thrill she always felt when she was about to get her revenge. Her mother had always said that revenge was sweet, but Mal had never tasted anything sweet. To her, nothing could compare to the feeling of exacting revenge. It was freeing; it made her feel as though nothing in the world could get her down. It made her complete.

Confidently, she strode through the doors of the restaurant and stopped, her eyes surveying the many empty tables. She’d expected it to be full, but she supposed it was a little early, people hadn’t done their pranking yet.

Crossing her arms, she ran her tongue over her top teeth impatiently as she waited for Uma to appear.

When she did, moments later, the turquoise headed girl spotted her arch nemesis immediately. Dumping the food she was carrying in front of the only two customers, she met Mal’s gaze square on.

“We don’t allow fairies in here,” she sneered. “Company policy.”

Mal let out a snort. “Try me.”

“What do you want? Aren’t you supposed to be out pranking?”

“Well, I thought tonight would be a better night than any to send you a warning. I see my other warnings have so far been ignored.”

“If you think I find this intimidating then you need to think again.” Uma had walked up to Mal and was now circling her slowly, her eyes narrowed.

But Mal wasn’t concerned. She had the daughter of the sea witch right where she wanted her.

“Oh, it’s not meant to be intimidating,” she continued, the corner of her mouth curling. “But I need you to stop. You and your pirates are becoming an annoyance, and frankly I don’t have the time, nor the patience to keep pushing you back gently.”

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”

“It means, bitch, that I won’t hesitate to wipe you out if you so much as step on my territory again.”

Uma let out a bark of laughter. “It won’t be your territory for long, _fairy_.”

Mal moved closer to Uma, her face inches from her enemy’s. “And that is where you are sorely mistaken.”

With one swift swoop, and without losing eye contact, Mal snatched the necklace from around Uma’s neck and ran. For a moment, Uma stood there, stunned, before she realised what Mal had done.

With a roar of anger, the girl tore off her apron and started after her, but Mal had already had a head start.

Slipping through the doors, Mal sprinted, as fast as the heavy snow would let her, through the narrow streets. The snow began to ease as she headed into the centre, dodging around corners where shivering children sat scheming in their carboard box dens and avoiding tricksters as they laid out their traps. All the while, she kept an eye out for her pursuer. For her plan to be successful, Uma needed to keep following her.

By the time Mal reached Hades’ cave, her feet were numb and she could barely feel her fingers through her gloves, but she didn’t have time to stop. She yanked at one of the rusty gates until it stubbornly opened, its guttural creak filling the eerily quiet air.

Her heart fluttering wildly in her chest, she slipped into the shadows beyond, only pausing to pick up a stray rock before flattening herself against the nearest rock wall. It was just as cold in as out, and her breath came out in small white clouds as she waited for Uma.

As her breathing slowed, her balled fists loosened and the shell necklace tinkled gently against rock, the usually quiet sound amplified by the eerie quietness of the snow falling outside and the cavernous empty cave she currently stood in.

Mal stilled, wincing. Her ears strained for a sound, any sound that would indicate she had been heard. But there was nothing.

It was only a few moments later that a shadow appeared at the gates, hovering and clearly hesitant to enter. Mal waited a couple of seconds longer, holding her breath, and then she threw the rock she had picked up as far she could down the tunnel. It cracked loudly against the stone floor, the sound echoing.

She heard Uma curse and saw her silhouette checking her surroundings. Then, the creak of the gate as she entered.

Mal shrank back against the wall as far as she could as the girl sprinted straight past her, heading deep into the tunnel.

A smirk gracing her features, the daughter of Maleficent listened as the footsteps faded away, before heading in the opposite direction, emerging back out into the snow.

Pleased with herself, she lifted the necklace up to eye level. The scuffed and dull gold exterior of the shell winked softly in the dim lamplight.

Her prize.

Now all she had to do was head back to the main square and show it to her mother. The night had barely begun, and she had managed to complete her prank already.

Clutching the shell pendant firmly in her gloved hand, Mal felt a swell of pride, and she turned to head back into the centre of the village. She considered what she should pick off the next barge from Auradon. She could really do with a new pair of gloves. Perhaps she could find a pair that -

“Ah ah ah, I don’t think ye’re going anywhere with that.”

Mal stopped. She would have recognised that voice anywhere.

Harry.

With a low groan and a roll of her eyes, Mal looked back. She should have known that anywhere Uma went, Harry wouldn’t be far behind.

“Hi Harry,” she said flatly.

Harry flashed a grin at her, sauntering ever closer. “Where’s the rest of yer crew?”

“Busy enjoying themselves I should imagine.” She looked him up and down, folding her arms in a subtle attempt to stay warm. She could feel her teeth wanting to chatter, but she stubbornly forced her jaw to still. “You’re still trailing after Uma, I see.”

The grin soured. “Ye know, all it would take is one swipe and I could take out that pretty little throat of yers.” He raised his hook menacingly as he stepped forward.

It took everything in Mal’s power not to take a step back.

“And we both know you’d never do that, Harry. What would Uma say if you stole her glory?”

His pale eyes narrowed. “Oh, you don’ want to test me love.”

Mal felt heat tingle low in her belly.

“Don’t I?” she asked nonchalantly.

A low growl emanated from his throat as he stepped forward one more time, closing the gap until there was only a few inches between them.

Mal swallowed, her breath fluttering. She could smell the leather of his jacket, overpowering and intoxicating, and despite the cold flurry in the air, heat radiated off him.

“If you really think you’re intimidating, you really don’t know me at all,” she told him, steadying her breathing. She wasn’t feared by most of the kids on the Isle just to be shook up by a pirate.

A cocky one at that.

There was a rumble in his chest, as he focused his ice blue eyes on Mal’s fiery green. But Mal wasn’t finished there.

“Clearly you’re just a boy with daddy issues. I mean, you’re not even the captain of your own ship – you’re first mate to a GIRL. Your father, the infamous Captain Hook, can’t be pleased that his only son can’t even captain his own ship.”

The boy lunged suddenly, so suddenly that it took Mal by surprise. But instead of the cold metal of his hook against her skin, Harry’s lips sealed themselves firmly against hers. Mal gasped, only inviting him to venture further, his tongue seeking access to deepen the kiss.

She wanted to pull away. To show him that she wasn’t just another girl falling for his charm.

But she couldn’t.

When his teeth nipped at her bottom lip, somewhere, deep inside, a coil of desire snapped. She returned the kiss, hot and feverish, as her tongue fought for dominance over his.

When the two broke for air, breathing heavily, Mal didn’t know what to say. She stared at him, eyes hooded.

The boy’s eyes gleamed.

“Merry Christmas, Mal,” he said, the corner of his mouth lifting into his signature smirk. “You just got pranked.”

On his hook swung Uma’s shell necklace, glinting tauntingly at her.

At Mal’s shocked expression, the pirate let out a laugh, and slowly, tauntingly, sauntered off, humming to himself as his figure disappeared in the snow, heavy once again.

Mal staring after him, snowflakes burning against her bruised and swollen lips.

That goddamn pirate.

She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry. No one ever pranked the daughter of Maleficent. How could she have been so stupid? She had let her guard down at the exact moment she shouldn’t have, and now she had paid a dear price for it.

Well, one thing was for sure.

From that point on, she would do everything in her power to reduce that pirate and his sea witch to nothing more than crocodile bait.


End file.
